Boxwood & Blooms

Top 10 Fall - Winter Annuals for the Houston Area

Wed, 28 Oct 2020 08:00:00 GMT

Alas! I think I felt a cool breeze this morning. Is Fall finally here? We are so lucky in Houston, as our Fall and Winter months are usually very mild. This is actually a great time of year to enjoy the garden with our family and friends. Get your garden gloves on and join me – let’s plant our Fall-Winter color.

3 Steps to Keeping your Annuals Alive Through Winter in Houston

Step 1: As always preparation is the key to success. Decide which area you are going to plant your annuals. Remove the mulch, till the existing soil. If your soil is hard, clay or depleted add new soil – as this is the foundation for your plants. Having a bag or two of soil on hand is always vital. Some of my favorite bagged soil are Jungle Land Flowers & Vegetables & Jungle Land Water Saver or for a soil amendment I like to use Natures Best Organic Compost.

Step 2: Choose the correct flowers for your location, paying attention to sun or shade exposure, size, and desired color palette. If you are planting in a far-away location and want the flowers to appear closer – use warm colors such as reds and yellows. If you want to add depth to your garden use cool colors such as pinks, purples and whites. If you are planting in a very small area, it is best to stick to one variety of plant and one color – as this will make a bigger impact. If you have large beds, mix it up – perhaps doing a mixed color tall border in the back and a solid color of a low-growing variety in the front.

Step 3: Dig a hole twice as large as the container, till in Color Star Plus Fertilizer and plant. Make sure that you water-in the plant well as you are planting and plant it approximately 1/2″ – 1″ above the soil. Re-install the mulch being careful as to not suffocate the newly planted flowers with too much mulch atop their roots.

Top Winter Annuals for Houston and the Surrounding Area

ALYSSUM : Alyssum is one of my favorite Fall-Winter color for Houston, even though this plant can freeze if we have a deep freeze. Alyssum is low growing, approximately 6”-8″ tall and it comes in White, Pink and Purple. Alyssum is very fragrant and it likes full or partial sun.

VIOLA : The cheerful Viola is not used so much. I love this sweet flower, available in all colors. Violas are a short border plant expected to grow about 6” tall. They do well in full and partial sun and can also take some shade.

SNAPDRAGON : These tall flowers come in many different colors and sizes. From white to yellow, bronze, orange, red, pinks and purples they are a must in our Fall, Winter Houston garden. Montego series are the short dwarf Snap Dragons growing 8-12” tall. Next size up are the Sonnet, Solstice and Snapastic Variety. These grow 15-18” tall. Lastly come the Rocket variety which grow about 18” – 24” tall. All Snapdragons love sun, or partial sun.

BELLIS: This dainty English daisy is very effective in a mass planting. They are available in white, pink and red (looks like dark pink). They are one of the few winter annuals for Houston that can do well in shade. These quaint flowers can be used in Sun, partial sun and shade.

PANSY: This staple in the Houston area is tough to beat. Loves the cooler weather, and a freeze will not hurt it. Use as a border or behind Alyssum. This sweet flower comes in an array of color and grows about 8” tall.

DIANTHUS: I am not a big fan of the regular low growing Dianthus. But I love Dianthus Amazon, Dianthus Jolt and Dianthus Sweet William. These hardy annuals make wonderful fragrant cut flower. The greenery stays low about 8” tall but the flower stems reach about 12-18” high. They do well in full sun or part shade.

Petunia: These pretty cascading flowers come in a variety of colors. The Wave and Mambo series are low growing and very suitable in pots to cascade off the edges. The Madness series cascades some, but grows more upright about 12” tall. Both are suitable for border planting. Petunias will bloom from early Fall through Spring. If the weather freezes they may freeze back some (though I have never witnessed this here) , I have noticed they will stop blooming until the weather warms up again.

STOCK: This color is one of the most fragrant flowers to add in our Fall and Winter gardens in Houston. The flowers come in lovely shades of Pink, Rose, Lilac, Purple and White. I love using these in pots, or in the landscape as a tall back-ground color. As with most flowers, dead-heading or removing spent blooms always encourages the plant to bloom more. Full sun or half day sun is ideal for this pretty flowers.

POPPIES: These are a wonderful addition to any fall or winter garden in Houston. I love using them amid Pansy, Viola or Alyssum. They seem to cheer up the garden with their pretty flowers. Foliage stays short around 6” tall, but the flower stems rise up to about 12” tall. They are available in an array of color – shades of pink, white, yellow, red and oranges

LOBELIA: This wonderful border annual is lovely. Lobelia is available in many shades of blue, purple, pink, lavender and white. The traditional Lobelia grows similar to Alyssum about 6” tall. However, now there is another variety available called Magadi that grows taller about 12” tall. I love using these in pots, and in borders. I also like adding them with Alyssum to add a pop of blue. Consider using blue plants in yellow planters—this makes a striking contrast. Lobelia does well in sun, part sun and even some shade.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog. As for myself, I am off to get my planting done, as Fall-Winter color is my favorite!! Join me, and send me some pictures of your own masterpieces. Happy Gardening!

Ciao Mardel

After the Freeze

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 12:41:29 GMT

Wow, what a week we have had, with this historical freeze! I wanted to share with you today some tips to guide you in your garden, as we recover from this last week of freezing temperatures. As you walk around the yard some plants may start to show signs of freeze damage. You will most likely see brown leaves, wilting or a burnt appearance. You may also see mushy, gooey leaves, on plants such as Agapanthus, Iris, Society Garlic, Amaryllis. I do recommend removing anything soggy and mushy, as this will encourage fungal growth. The following are some things you can do to help protect these damaged plants.

1. DO NOT PRUNE WOODY PLANTS: I know this is hard to resist, but if you would like to save this plant do not cut back dead or damaged leaves and branches as these branches and leaves are actually protecting the remainder of the plant from further damage. Another thing, pruning will promote tender new growth to appear which in the event of another freeze will surely cause more damage. Refrain from pruning until Spring– mid-March for tropical plants, or whenever chances of more freezes are over. At that point, trim damaged plants all the way down to where the branches are still green. After you finish pruning drench the beds with Holganix or Medina Liquid Humate to speed up microbial activity. Add a fertilizer such as Sweet Green (organic) or Woodmaster 21-7-11(not organic) both are high in nitrogen and will promote new growth.

2. ADD MULCH/COMPOST: This will be a great time to add compost and mulch to your beds to further insulate your plants’ roots and supply them with essential nutrients. Compost and mulch will also help with the microbiology of your soil keeping plants healthy and happy. We recommend Landscapers Pride hardwood or Pine-bark Mulch and Mushroom Compost installed about 2-3″ thick.

3. PROTECTION: A plant that has been damaged needs further protection in the event of another freeze. If it is at all possible to bring indoors do so. If it is not possible, wrap them in frost cloth, making sure the entire plant is covered and secured well at the base and no wind or cold air can enter through the bottom. I usually add landscape stone at the bottom to help secure it — anything heavy will work. Wrapping a plant well is vital. Other things I recommend doing is water your garden well before a hard freeze as saturated soils retain heat better than dry soil. Keep damaged plants well watered, remembering that in cooler weather plants do not require as much water. By the end of March beginning of April we will be able to see what has survived and what has not.

I hope that you all will find this post helpful, please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Ciao Mardel

September To Do List

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 12:41:28 GMT

I am so excited that September is finally here and the end of the hot humid and long summer is in sight. I know you are also excited and ready for Fall flowers! However, we must wait a few more weeks until the temperature cools down some, at least at night. In the meantime, here is a list of things you should be doing to get ready for the beautiful fall flowers and gardens!

Prune and Dead-Head: Walk around your flowerbeds and prune all lanky perennials, such as Salvia, Veronica, Cuphea, Lantana, Verbena – any that are looking too tall and skinny – prune them down to half their size. Dead head any old flowers from Rudbeckia, Roses, Stokesia, Agapanthus and other spent blooms you might have in your garden. Discard the clippings – or put them in your compost pile.

Prepare the Garden for Fall Planting: As you know our Clear Lake area soil is mostly clay and gumbo which creates a terrible drainage problem and a PH that is too high for planting. To compensate for this lack of drainage, we raise our beds with wonderful potting soil filled with organic compost; however these beds quickly become compacted and void of nutrients. We recommend adding an organic compost such as Soil Mender -Garden Soil Builder and mixing this in with your potting soil, working it in gently with a fork or cultivator paying attention to your existing plants and their roots. Please use your judgement on how much organic compost and mulch to put around your existing plants. Put enough material to cover bare roots and be careful not to suffocate the plant by building the soil or mulch too high. Soil Mender Garden Soil Builder is a rich blend of aged humus mixed with essential supplements to form a complete soil builder. Adding organic matter helps loosen the soil and improves drainage as it aerates the soil and stimulates microbial activity. I recommend adding an application of this every six months.

Lawn: If you have some areas that are bald or the grass is not filling in quite well – try spreading half an inch of Soil Mender Turf Soil Builder
(enough to allow the top of your grass blades to show through)– many of our garden center clients have been thrilled with this product. Always follow the instructions on package. With all the rain we have had you might also have fungus problems on your lawn, apply a fungicide to control the problem we love to use F-stop, again always follow instructions labeled on package carefully.

Organic Fertilizer: At this time of the year, I like to apply an organic fertilizer – such as Hasta Grow (1 gallon) and Superthrive (1/4 teaspoon). I use it on all my roses, perennials and shrubs to help them regain their strength after the hot summer and give them a little boost. I just mix the product according to manufacturer’s instructions and lightly add this mixture to the soil. Another organic fertilizer I love is Holganix, a probiotic-filled tea-based product that contains many naturally occurring living microorganisms that work to restore balance to your soil.

Mulch: Do not forget to add a layer of Mulch after the new organic compost and fertilization is complete; again being careful to not add too much atop the root-balls of your established plants. Please use natural mulch. I am afraid of the new “dyed” mulches – apart from not liking the way they look, I worry about what this chemically dyed mulch is doing to our plants. Mulch is meant to disappear and become organic matter to further help or soil. Mulch keeps plant roots cooler, keeps weed seeds at bay and conserves water. Just make sure you do not apply more than 1″- 2″ of mulch around the base of any established trees and be careful not to apply too much mulch along the foundation of your home.

Pests: At this time of the year leaf minors are active on citrus – you can alternate treatments of Spinosad and Neem Oil to keep them at bay. Hose off insects such as aphids and mealybugs or spray them with insecticidal soap. If you have any other insect/disease questions our garden center staff is always ready to help.

Hummingbirds: These little beauties will start to migrate in September – get your feeders ready. Keep them clean and in a shady area to encourage visitors. Natural nectar sources for hummingbirds include Hamelia, Firespike, Shrimp Planta, Cuphea, Lantana and Turks cap.

Vegetable and Herb Gardens: Clean your garden and remove any herbs and vegetables that are done for the season – such as Parsley. After mixing 2-3 inches of new organic compost with your soil, plant your tomatoes and peppers as this is the best time to get them in the ground. Cool season veggies such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and kale can be planted any time from now to January.

Planters and Urns: I cannot write a blog without mentioning my favorite things. All of you who know me, know that most of the gardens I design include at least one or two urns. I am itching to get my urns all ready for fall – but I must wait —we need the temperatures to cool down just a little bit more. My next blog will be dedicated solely to getting your planters in the Fall mood. Join me next time and let’s get ready for some beautiful Houston weather and Fall-inspired planters. if you have any questions about gardening and design please come see us at the nursery, we are always happy to help! Happy Gardening.

My Top 10 Favorite Plants for Houston Weather

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 21:23:00 GMT

Finding plants that preform well in the hot and humid Houston area is tough, finding ones that stay beautiful all year is harder. Over the years, we have found several plants that are staples to most of our landscape design. Below are the ones that made it to the top ten!

Boxwood – Use this evergreen shrub to keep borders nice and neat, and help outline the shape of your beds. Boxwood in a globe shape are used as accents at the beginning or ending of the hedge, to provoke that European style. Boxwood provide green foliage all year long with tiny leaves and dense branches that can be clipped and hedged any style you prefer.

Our favorite varieties are Baby Gem and Baby Jade. Both grow well in sun and semi shade, but it is important to plant them in a well drained bed.

Agapanthus – Also known as Lily of the Nile is a perennial that comes in many varieties. Here are a few that we like to use.

The Queen Ann series blooms beautiful blue violet flowers with a stem height of 24 inches and leaf height of 15 inches. Queen Ann provides blooms in the summer. Storm Cloud b looms mid summer to early fall. Ever Sapphire blooms early spring and re-blooms in the summer.

Queen Ann Agapanthus Photo Credit: Mistletoe Carter Seeds

Storm Cloud Agapanthus, Photo Credit: Plant Delights Nursery

Ever Sapphire Agapanthus, photo credit Southern Living

Queen Mum Agapanthus

Pringles Dwarf Yew: This is an excellent new introduction. If you are looking for an evergreen slow growing dark green plant — look no further. We have had great success with this plant, and survived the freeze with ease. We have found it to be sun and shade tolerant and does not miss a beat in the humidity. You can use it as a hedge beneath low windows to provide you with a wonderful green back-drop, or as specimen plant — instead of your Dwarf Yaupon or Indian Hawthorn.

Pringles Dwarf Yew: Photo credit Creekside Nursery

Imperial Blue Plumbago: Amanda and I love this plant, mainly because it is one of the only plants that actually produces a true blue flower all summer long. In Houston this plant blooms prolifically Spring through late Fall. Give it space as it can easily grow 3-4′ wide and tall. You can trim it and maintain it smaller, but if you are like me you might not want to trim while it is laden with blooms. Combine this with Italian Cypress as the dark foliage of the Cypress contrasts so well with the light colored leaves and the blue flowers of the Plumbago. It grows well in full sun and part shade.

Wax Leaf Ligustrum , the staple plant of Houston. Yes, I know this is everywhere, but I love it! You cannot beat this plant. It has beautiful dark green shiny foliage that can be shaped into a dense privacy hedge and will provide nice back drop to your color and perennials.

Drift Rose : Love, love, love these new dwarf ever-blooming roses!!! We have been using them on our landscape jobs now for five or six years, and each year we fall in love with them even more. There are many colors from white, to red, to pink, peach, apricot and more. All grow between 18″ – 30″ tall. They love full sun or half day of sun. I fertilize mine around mid February with a Rose Fertilizer. During the year, dead- head them if you wish, and prune no more than a 1/3 of the plants’ size all year long. Around mid-February do the heavy pruning — you can take them down to 6″ if you wish — then watch them grow and bloom again shortly afterwards! A true favorite!!

Drift Rose Peach, photo credit Greenleaf Nursery

Drift Rose Coral, photo credit Greenleaf Nursery

Drift Rose Popcorn, photo credit Greenleaf Nursery

Drift Rose Red, photo credit Greenleaf Nursery

Drift Rose Sweet, photo credit Greenleaf Nursery

Drift Rose Pink, photo credit Greenleaf Nursery

Drift Rose Apricot, photo credit Greenleaf Nursery

Foxtail Fern: This plant is a very low maintenance easy care plant. Plant it and forget about it. I love that it provides a different leaf texture and structure to the rest of the landscape. It’s chartreuse color always makes a landscape pop! Plant in full sun or part shade. It is also a great plant to use in pots.

Foxtail Fern: photo credit Greenleaf Nursery

Loropetalum: There are many varieties of Loropetalum available nowadays. Our favorite is Purple Day Dream . This is a new introduction, that keeps it purple foliage all year long. It is a dwarf and grows between 2-3′ tall. So, it can easily be maintained at a desired height. We love to use this behind Boxwood borders as we find the two colors of foliage make a lovely contrast. If you are looking for a variety that grows larger and also holds the purple colored foliage, try the Purple Diamond which grows about 4-5′ tall or the Ever Red — growing about 5-6′ tall.

Variegated Pittosporum: If you want to add depth to your garden, or would like to introduce another shade of green– then use Variegated Pitts! We love nestling these in between Ligustrum and Boxwood to add a variety of leaf structure and color. Can be easily pruned and maintained as a hedge, thrives in full or half day sun. Another variety of Variegated Pittosporum is the dwarf Mojo Pittosporum, this only grows approximately 24-30″ tall and thrives in morning sun or shade.

Mojo Pittosporum, photo credit Greenleaf Nurser y

Star Jasmine: This beautiful evergreen vine grows quickly and covers a fence in no time. It blooms in a very fragrant white flower during Spring which contrast beautifully with the dark green foliage. We love to use this as a back-drop to disguise ugly fences. We also use it to form espaliers on blank walls.

Star Jasmine Vine, photo credit Greenleaf Nursery

Star Jasmine Espalier

Here is how you can use some of the plants mentioned above. In this clients courtyard garden I used a combination of Boxwood, Drift Roses, Ligustrum & Agapanthus.

I hope you enjoyed reading about our favorite top ten plants. Happy gardening!

Ciao Mardel

Christmas Gift Ideas for the Garden Lover

Tue, 19 Dec 2017 21:17:00 GMT

If you are like me, and still have Christmas shopping to do here are 10 wonderful gift ideas for the garden lover!

Anduze Pottery: If you are looking for a special gift consider the timeless Anduze Pots. We carry a large assortment of authentic Anduze Pottery in many colors. These wonderful planters become family heirlooms.
Amaryllis: Teachers, friends, family everyone loves Amaryllis. We carry them in bulk, potted up in small planters of every price point. These beautiful bulbs make a wonderful gift and after they bloom out your recipient can plant it in their garden.amaryllis bulbs, christmas gifts
Cages: Cages are not for birds anymore. Come see our wonderful selection of planted cages. These can be used on your side-table indoors or as centerpieces outdoors. Original gift!birdcages, planters, unique planters, christmas gifts
Lanterns: This is something everybody loves, but never buys for themselves! Come see our selection of lanterns, a wonderful addition to any interior and exterior.lanterns, outdoor decor, farmhouse, christmas gifts
Succulent Bowls: For those people who love greenery but kill everything — consider a succulent bowl. All they need to do is place in an environment that gets half a day of sun and spritz with water once a week or less. What a great introduction to gardening!succulents, christmas gifts, garden gifts
Planters: Decorative planters are always a wonderful gift. Again, this is one of the items everyone wants but hardly ever buy for themselves. Choose a pot and choose the plants we will get it all prettied up for you ready to WOW your lucky recipient!garden gifts, christmas gifts, planters
Fountains: Who does not love the sound of running water? From extravagant fountains to small table fountains, we carry an array of them. Surprise your loved one with one of these!fountains, garden gifts
Edible Trees: Perhaps you heard your husband or friend mention how they would like an edible garden. Consider a fruit tree, Lemon, Limes, Oranges, Tangerines and Satsumas will all make a wonderful gift!gardening, gifts, christmas gifts
Shade Trees: The gift that keeps on giving, perhaps you know of someone who needs a tree. We carry trees in all sizes from 7 gal to 200 gal. we will surely find the one that fits your budget!crape myrtles, live oaks, magnolia, gardening, gifts
Gift Certificates: If you simply cannot make up your mind, consider a gift certificate and let your recipient decide!

Stop by Bay Area Design & Landscape’s garden center today for any of these great gift ideas, let our garden staff help you select the perfect one for your family and friends!

Ciao Mardel

Bay Area Baby Shower

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 16:09:00 GMT

It has been an exciting 8 months here at Bay Area Design & Landscape. We are thrilled to announce that our Bay Area Family is growing– as our beautiful and talented Kimberly is expecting a baby this December! Nothing brings more joy and warmth to our hearts than the forthcoming birth of a baby!! Amidst our bustling office schedule, we have been secretly happily awaiting the arrival of Dean Chapman, and Amanda and I have been fighting to hold Kim’s belly and feel Dean kick around — poor Kim, she is petered daily with unwanted attention!

Last week Amanda and myself along with the help of Kimberly’s parents and grandfather hosted a Fall Woodland Themed Baby Shower for the expectant parents.

Amanda and I decorated the house using Fall and Woodland themed decorations we crafted. For those of you who may be planning your own special shower or just want to join in on the fun, we wanted to share a few handmade highlights. The Diaper cake below set the tone of the Fall Woodland Theme.

Upon entering guests signed the guest-book, fresh Fall flowers and pumpkins emphasized the theme, while a garland with baby pictures of Kimberly and Ryan on display brought back memories to their families.

A garland of onesies with a woodland motif hung on the mantle.

A display of Fall pumpkins and flowers were atop another table.

The dining room table decorated with a Fall motif – fresh Bay Leaves and lemons amid Antlers to bring in the woodland theme.

The side-table outdoors had a display of Eucalyptus leaves and other fresh greenery amid small pumpkins.

The dining table outdoors was simply decorated with Eucalyptus leaves, fresh flowers and a centerpiece of pumpkins.

The delicious cake was made by Kimberly’s aunt Frances. It was as scrumptious as it was beautiful.

The expectant parents to be Ryan & Kimberly Chapman.

The beautiful expectant mother to be.

Kimberly with her brother David and parents, Katherine & Ray.

Kimberly’s grandfather, Thomas.

Family photo, aunt Frances, mom, dad, grandfather, parents to be, brother and cousin Loren.

Time for gifts! Kimberly received many beautiful gifts from her friends & family to help her prepare for Dean’s arrival.

Setting up, Kimberly’s grandfather and father preparing the delicious brisket, ribs and sausage.

A Happy Trails candy bar was set up for guests to help themselves as we bid them farewell.

We cannot wait to meet Dean, only 4 more weeks until his arrival! I hope you feel inspired and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Ciao Mardel

For the Love of French Anduze Pottery!

Sat, 07 Oct 2017 15:37:00 GMT

Some loves are everlasting– for me this love has always been the French Anduze and Biot planters! As a little girl, I remember playing in my grandmother’s courtyard and admiring a pair of beautiful Anduze Urns and several large Biot jars. I dreamed of one day having a courtyard just like this. A large fountain in the center, with beautiful pots filled with citrus and flowers decorating the space. Little did I know that my admiration for these pots would remain, as they are still my favorite urns!

Above: Anduze urns in the original green and flamme glaze

Legend says that the first Anduze pot was crafted by a potter named Cevenol after a trip to the pottery fair, where he came across the similar Italian Medici pot and was inspired to create his own version around 1610. The oldest surviving Anduze vase today was made by Jean Gautier circa 1782. He is credited with being the first potter to introduce these ornamental pots to a wider clientele around Europe. Anduze pots originally were crafted only for aristocrats. They were to be used as ornamentation to adorn their palaces and homes. Typically these were planted with citrus trees. The Biot pots were used as vessels to store grain and olives and utilized more by the Provencal people. I love both and believe that every home or patio is not complete without a pair!

Above: the Biot pots

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to visit one of my favorite bespoke workshops Poterie de la Madeleine in Anduze. Here, under the direction of Vincent and Guillaume Bimar, the artisans skillfully mold the clay as their ancestors did to produce these urns in the same traditional way of Jean Gautier. First the clay is molded to produce the body of the pots.

Above: raw clay

Above: Guillaume explaining the process

Above: the body of the pot is being created

A wavy garland is placed about two thirds up from the base and circles the body of the planter. The authentic ancient coat of arms is then placed to link the garlands together.

After the clay has rested, it receives a dose of white base coat and the pot rests for yet another month.

Above: pots resting for a month with white base coat

Once the base coat sets, the glazing or patina is hand applied and the pot is fired in ovens that reach over 1100 degrees.

Above: Anduze urns glazed ready for the oven

Above: one of the ovens

This process takes from start to finish about 2 months. As I walked around the workshop, I could see the pride on each of the artisans faces and how seriously they take this role. They are not only producing pots for the gardens of today – but they are also keeping a wonderful tradition alive. In a world where everything is mass produced and copied, this tradition remains authentic and the superior quality is clear!

Above Anduze urns in patine tourquoise

Above: Coupe Anduze

Above: Anduze in the traditional green and flamme, along with Oil Jars in flamme

Above: a variation of the traditional Anduze with Angelot in green

Above: Anduze pots in Flamme vieille and a variation the Strisse (striped) and Tulip Anduze

Above: the Bac a Orangers in patine emeraude

Above: Anduze in jaune (yellow )

Above: the versatile Oil Jars in Blue Lavande

Above: Four Tulipe Patine Blue Jean Anduze I used in a clients garden.

Above: Tulipe Turquoise Anduze featured in my vegetable garden

Above: Flamme Anduze in my garden

Poterie de la Madeleine has come to master the art of hand throwing, modeling and stamping the clay drawing their inspiration from the past, and for this I am a massive fan! Visit our garden center at Bay Area Design & Landscape and choose a pair today. These should be considered as family heirlooms and passed down to our future generations.

Au Revoir from France!

Mardel

Hurricane Harvey Garden Rescue

Fri, 22 Sep 2017 16:37:00 GMT

It has been a couple of weeks now since Horrible hurricane Harvey ravaged our area with its historical rains. We at Bay Area Design, along with many of our friends, neighbors, clients and fellow Houstonians have just now finished cleaning up the debris inside our homes, and ready to start focusing on our gardens. Below are a few tips to help you out.

First of all before you start working in the garden, consider your safety. Look around the garden and make sure all trees are stable, do not show any major damage broken limbs, root rot etc. that could pose a hazard to your safety. Wear gloves, especially if there is still standing water in your garden, consider the risk of an infection. If you suspect or are worried that you might have had sewage water contaminate your soil, Monterey Consan 20 can be used to kill bacteria, fungus and other harmful pathogens in the soil. Remember to discard any fruit, vegetables and other edibles that might have been contaminated.

Stay off the lawn and beds until they are dry – walking on them while wet will compact the soil. Once dry, examine your lawn and plants if you suspect a fungus apply a Systemic Disease Control like Bonide Infuse for your lawn and shrubs. Use Monterey Garden Phos Systemic Fungicide in your beds to control disease in the soil. I recommend spreading compost, horticulture molasses or kelp meal to rejuvenate the soil and bring your plants back to good health. Do not fertilize until you are sure you have no fungus, as fertilizing will help rapidly increase the spread of fungus. Prune off any damaged or rotted plants and discard, it is a good practice to sanitize your pruners between trimming each plant, to reduce the risk of spreading disease .

If you have trees or large shrubs that are now leaning, if the majority of the roots are still intact, use tree stakes to straighten them up. Kelp meal or Liquid Seaweed can also be used to help the root structure of that tree or shrub.

The heavy rains will sure bring out a lot of ants, especially fire ants. If you are experiencing mounds in your lawn you can use Orthene Soluble Insecticide . Standing water will bring on the mosquitoes and their larva, make sure to empty all vessels of water, clean out bird baths. If it is not possible to remove some standing water adding Mosquito Dunks or Mosquito Bits in standing water will kill the larva and keep mosquitoes from breading. Skeeter Screen granules will help repel mosquitoes.

I am pretty sure that most of us have lost a lot of soil and mulch in this rain. It is a good idea to add new potting soil and re- mulch to get ready for Fall and Winter color coming up shortly!

While the storm damage is never pleasant it can often open up new areas in the garden, allowing for change as well as providing fertile compost for a renewal of beauty as the garden recovers. Try to look at the positive while you are cleaning up your garden, perhaps this is a chance to add new richer soil, or a chance to take your garden in a new and exciting direction.

Ciao Mardel

An Award Winning Design

Mon, 21 Aug 2017 19:15:00 GMT

For the third year in a row one of our designs has been chosen to receive an award from an outdoor living magazine Hearth and Home. This year the winning design was for a Rustic Retreat with a French Provencal twist.

Last year, I met with a wonderful couple who had just purchased their second home in an exclusive waterfront neighborhood. They purchased the home and the adjoining vacant property next door as they needed a larger garden space. When I met with them in our initial consultation I quickly realized that their criteria was to have an informal garden, that reminds them of their home in the Austin area. They wanted seating areas, water sound that could act as a doggie pool, plenty of lawn space for the grand-kids and dog to run and play in, and additional parking for their guests.

Before: Vacant Lot

Before: Courtyard wall

Before: view of client’s side of home that bordered the empty property

I was excited about this challenge, though the vacant lot was an open field, the neighborhood has many rules and restrictions that I had to abide by. The house had an established garden that permitted no views to the new lot and as you can see from the above pictures, there was no doors leading to this side property from the house. So the challenge for me was to come up with a plan that unified the existing home with the new garden. My first design priority was to add access to this new large garden directly from this side of the house, by adding French doors to the back portion of the house, giving us access from the breakfast nook directly onto the garden and adding a lovely view from the interior. The second thing I wanted to do is remove the stucco wall that walled in the courtyard – giving us another entrance/exit while adding in more light to the interior of the home.

The next element in our design was to unify the existing back garden of the home with the new adjoining garden. Here, we removed the existing side fence and shrubs, removed the small existing patio, and added a larger travertine patio, which leads directly from their existing back door onto the new pergola. This gave the homeowners not only direct access but a larger patio by the back door to use as a dining area. Details make a difference – notice the beautiful glazed urns flanking the window, and the lovely Provencal style dining table!

The pergola which we positioned towards the back side of the property purposely to take advantage of the lake views, serves as a wonderful shaded gathering area – an outdoor living room, large enough for a seating area and a large dining table. Shutters were added to the pergola for additional privacy until the landscape matures. Centered in between the pergola columns I added a light aqua French Olive Jars, planted with Topiary Eugenia to tie in the pots together.

Centered on the pergola just outside the new French doors we positioned a large French Provencal fountain in the middle of a flagstone patio. Instead of grouting the slabs of flagstone we used Dwarf Mondo to add to the rustic charm. This additional patio will act as an overflow seating area during larger gatherings. The fountain adds a focal point, the sound of water and a cooling off spot for their beautiful Australian Labradoodle!

Large flagstone slabs set in the lawn lead from the flagstone patio to the new side doors and the new front gate, tying in all points of existing and entrance without compromising much of the lawn space needed for play.

The landscape was designed to be very informal, borders of Verbena, Iceplant , Stokesia and Lamb’s ear cascade over the flagstone walls. Behind them we used a combination of Foxtail Fern, Drift Rose and Agapanthus. Adding texture and a Hill Country element we introduced grasses such as the Pennisetum Princess Caroline and Gulf Coast Muhly. Since this vacant property was on a corner, we added larger shrubs to give us privacy such as Bottle Brush trees, Brodie Juniper and Ligustrum.

In the front section of this vacant property we added a parking area for guests, disguised as a courtyard with a hedge row of Japanese Yew. A wrought iron fence around the perimeter adds security and privacy, a gate from the front parking courtyard welcomes you to step inside the garden and view what lays beyond.

Parking Courtyard

We were very pleased with the transformation of this empty lot, and are honored that it was chosen to be featured in this magazine! As always, I hope I have inspired you to get creative, get out and enjoy the garden! Do you have any challenging areas in you garden? If you do, comment below!

Ciao Mardel

Making an Entrance

Sat, 12 Aug 2017 08:00:00 GMT

So many of us spend countless hours focusing on the interior of our homes, yet sadly dis-regard the front entrance! This is the first impression any visitor or potential buyer is going to get of your home. Most of my realtor friends tell me that buyers usually make up their mind about a house immediately as they see it and approach the front door!!! They say most buyers can already imagine themselves living there if the front yard makes a good impression and gives them that “good-feeling”. How important is this if you are trying to sell your home! Likewise, for our guests, the front entrance is like a window into your personality and sense of style!

Let’s start with the front door! So many times, with my job I approach people’s houses and it is a struggle to even get to the front door. Most often the landscape beds are over-grown with giant Sago Palms on each side of the walk-way poking at my legs as I try to squeeze between them, only to get to a front door that needs re-painting or re-staining and a good dusting! The front stoop is crowded with shoes, newspapers and other such items that do not belong in the front entrance, while something as simple as visible house numbers or door bells are hard to come by.

Get that door painted – depending on the style of your house – you can stain it in a natural wood color, paint it a navy blue if you love a Southern style, dark green if you are more into a New Orleans look, or a bright color if you are brave and have a fun personality! Evaluate the hardware on your front door – does this need an upgrade? Add an oversize knocker to add appeal. Take a look at your lanterns or lack of light by the front door. Very often I see lanterns that are way too small for the scale of the house. These should be functional, and add charm and drama during the day. and add house numbers!

Photo Credits: Pinterest

Other times there is no walkway leading to the front door and I wonder—how does a visitor feel welcome or even know where the front door is? If we have room let’s create a pathway wide enough for two people to walk comfortably up to the front door. This can be done in plain concrete, outdoor travertine, or brick pavers — again depending on your style and the architecture of your home. In many homes that have large front yards I often design the walkway to open up in the center and create a resting point – where one can enjoy the view and anticipate what’s to come next. This opening could be an ideal location to add benches for those of us with young kids– a great place to watch them play from.

Remove any plants that impede on the walkway – anything mean with thorns or spikey leaves should be removed. Clean it up – I love using boxwood in the front as a border – this keeps the landscape nice and neat all year round. Boxwood can be easily maintained at around 10″ tall. Behind them you can add any other plants that suit your taste – topicals if you are into a tropical look – roses if you prefer an English garden or additional classical shrubs if you are more traditional.

Accessorize!!! Add architectural accents such as pots flanking the doorway – or a cluster of pots if you are into the cottage look. Add interest with a fountain to show off your personal style! Don’t forget your gates! If your home has a front gate, or driveway gate – accessorize them to give them importance.

Last but not least add FLOWERS – we all are attracted to flowers – and the best way to add curb appeal is with seasonal planting. In the Houston area we can get by with changing out these plants 2-3 times a year! I love adding annuals along the front walk way leading to the front door – offering a nice welcome and in a few other key areas. If that is too much work for you, add seasonal planting in your pots only!

Tell me how you make an entrance in the comments section!

Ciao Mardel

Exploring the Northern California Coast

Sat, 22 Jul 2017 08:00:00 GMT

They say time flies when you are having fun! So true, the older I get the quicker time seems to pass me by! A few weekends ago my husband Larry and I, celebrated our 20 ^th year wedding anniversary. It seems like yesterday, that we got married! Since we both love exploring new places, we decided to take a long weekend trip and check out the Northern California coast.

We started our journey on Wednesday flying from Houston to San Francisco, got in our rented a car and made our way past the Golden Gate Bridge and onto Sonoma.

We had reservations at a quaint small hotel right in the heart of the Sonoma town square called El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen We got very lucky and found a parking spot right in front of the entrance. We loved the hotel, the location was superb, the staff extremely friendly and the room was clean, comfortable and decorated well.

After we freshened up, we walked around the square, looking at the many quaint stores this town has to offer and dined at the Girl and the Fig . The restaurant was exquisite with impeccable service and wonderful ambiance, I highly recommend it. We started with a Cheese and Mano Formate Charcuterie Platter, a large platter of three selections of wonderful cheese, cured meats, condiments, spiced nuts and a fresh baguette. I had a Fig and Arugula salad, while Larry had Wild Flounder Meunière both pictured below. Of course, while in Sonoma we accompanied the meal with local wine!

The next morning, we visited Sonoma Market to pick up some snacks and local produce for our trip up the coast. Why is everything so beautiful in California? Even the parking lot was adorned with Drift Roses of every color in full bloom!

We decided to head to Mendocino via the coast road Highway 1. The drive from Sonoma was a little less than 3 hours. Mendocino County is a stunning area! Most of the road is windy terrain, going up and down mountains and cliffs with beautiful blue water crashing on them. While on the adjacent side the green wilderness makes it like no other place. The 130 mile drive is dotted with picturesque small seaside villages that showcase some of the most natural and stunning landscapes I have ever seen. Below Jenner, one of the first villages we came across.

Below, view from Timber Cove Resort

Cooks beach in the town of Gualala. This quaint little town deserves a stop as it is quite an art colony. We enjoyed visiting the art center and some of the many galleries in town

Elk, a sweet little town with epic views of the ocean, while on the other side green hillsides and rural land. Truly the best of both worlds!

Established in the 1850’s, Mendocino is the only town on the Californian Coast that is designated as a Historical Landmark. The architecture here reminded me of Maine– with its New England style Victorians and quaint Saltbox cottages. Apart from the gorgeous coastline; this peninsula is surrounded on three sides with wildflower covered bluffs. There is an abundance of flowers here and many of the Mendocino Inns and businesses have beautiful gardens to enjoy. Mendocino is a paradise set on a hill with crashing waves, sandy beaches, old-fashioned water towers, flower covered picket fences and sandy beaches amid a quintessential little town.

Some of the flowers of Mendocino

Below, the Goodlife Café & Bakery – an excellent location for breakfast. They serve fresh organic food with local quality ingredients. I highly recommend this place.

Larry and I stayed at a cottage called Applegate Cottage, just outside downtown Mendocino. The cottage was sweet and very comfortable situated on a 100 year old apple orchard that belongs to Mrs. Nancy Puder. She was a lovely tenant. If you want to have some peace and get away from it all, yet be close to downtown Mendocino this location is ideal. Nancy is also full of ideas and knowledge about Mendocino and the surrounding area. As an additional treat on the farm there are chickens and sheep, and Nancy supplied us daily with fresh eggs and home-made jam!

The view through our window

Larry feeding the sheep, he made friends with all the animals on the ranch!

Just north of Mendocino we visited Fort Braggs, here are the locals getting some sun!

Another beautiful area around Mendocino was travelling on route 128 to Boonville. From Route 1 just past the mouth of the Navarro River and the Pacific Ocean we got onto Route 128. This highway travels upriver through the coast Redwood Forest of the Navarro River Redwoods State Park.

Past the Redwood Forest we arrived at an area called Anderson Valley , beautiful land full or apple orchards and vineyards.

We stopped at Pennyroyal Farms a vineyard and farm committed to producing the finest goat/sheep cheeses from their own goats and sheep on the farm. These pampered animals feast on wild grasses and pennyroyal mint that blankets the sixty six acre farmstead and vineyard in Boonville.

They have a lovely restaurant and shop at the Farm, where you can either have lunch, or take your favorite cheeses and wines home! Larry and I indulged and did both.

Photo Credit: Pennyroyal Farms

The chicken coup at Pennyroyal farms –I love the idea of a chicken coup on wheels! e

Below, the lovely scenery around Ukiah

Our weekend getaway quickly came to an end! But, what a beautiful area we have discovered. We vow to be back again soon!

Below, saying goodbye to the huge Northern Californian sea-gulls!

Do you have any favorite destinations for a long weekend get-away? Let me know in the comments!

Ciao Mardel

A Weekend in my Garden

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 14:32:00 GMT

I love this time of year! Everything has awoken and is in full bloom, or setting buds getting ready to bloom. I took the opportunity this weekend to slow down and smell the roses! Here are some of my Sweet and Peach Drift Roses, behind them a clump of Iris just budding getting ready to bloom.

Here is one of my Walking Iris beginning to bloom. The deep blue color is spectacular!

My Peggy Martin climbing rose vine is happily blooming and getting larger – I cannot wait until it covers the fence completely!

My antique roses fill the air with a sweet musky smell: below Celine Forestier and Duchesse De Brabant.

My kitchen garden “potager” sits directly outside my kitchen. I have designed this portion of un-used side yard to house a kitchen garden and a test garden along the fence line. I cannot resist but add more flowers. I have a couple of Topiary Weeping Roses which I love; they add a graceful elegance to the potager garden. Around the tree rose, there is Upright Rosemary, Arugula, Mint, Lemon Balm, Aster, and Lavender and of course a Hydrangea tucked in a shady spot the weeping rose provides.

My assistant Coco, follows me around the garden—seems like she too enjoys our weekends gardening! If I could only teach her to hunt snails –these pesky creatures love to munch on most everything I grow! In the center of the potager, note a topiary Hydrangea Paniculata that has not yet returned, I see little buds forming, later this summer it will be full of white blooms. Below: Drift Rose Sweet, Lavender, Petunia, Echinacea, Italian Sweet Basil, Lobelia, Shasta Daisy.

Here is the view of this same section from the other side. Creeping Germander adds a lovely texture next to the Shasta Daisies.

The Ajuga just stopped blooming; I love the color and the contrast the leaves provide. An important thing to remember when choosing plants for your garden – make sure you like the leaves and they provide a contrast to other plants in the garden.

Can you believe we can grow Pineapple in Houston! My husband planted the top of a store bought pineapple and voila – one year later it is giving us fruit! I have one pineapple almost ready to pick and another on the way. During last winter’s freeze – I did absolutely nothing to it; left it uncovered and hoped for the best.

I love using Asters in my garden! Their cheery little flowers always brighten up my day, they bloom on and off throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall, I have several varieties of them. They re-seed themselves each winter and come back year after year.

This is the small patio just outside my kitchen. In my pots below, the Hydrangea has started to bloom, the Calla Lily is lush and green and also in bloom. I will bid farewell to my Petunia, as it will soon be too hot for them. Maiden Hair Fern and Hydrangea are planting in the zinc tub beneath my kitchen window.

I only planted 2 tomatoes this year – they are already huge and yielding plenty!

The snails seem to love my peppers too! Beneath the peppers there is pink Scaevola blooming. I have four varieties of peppers growing, an easy vegetable that will grow all summer.

I had to include this sweet Vinca Strawberry Cascade, as the poor plant has been blooming non-stop since last summer. This is another plant that the freeze did not seem to bother. It breaks my heart that I need to trim it off the floor, but I would like to see a little more of my Biot pot!

The Double orange Portulaca with Scaevola makes a pretty combination in my pots by the pool.

The Queen Mum Agapanthus has just begun to bloom, I love adding a little bit of white in my gardens as that color seems to pop!

This section of my garden is what I refer to as my test garden! Anything that comes in new at the nursery gets tested here. The bed is about 200’ long and offers sun, shade and partial sun. It is the neglected side of the yard – which make a perfect test area. Everything seems happy and starting to bloom.

Verbena cascades along the edge of this garden, along with Stokesia and Lavender of many varieties.

The Golden Carex & Hydrangea brightens up a shady spot.

The Salvia Black and Blue in my test garden is found to be a truly no maintenance plant with the deepest purple blooms all summer. In the picture below the last of my Amaryllis are blooming, this is another easy growing plant.

I hope you enjoyed walking around my garden today! Coco and I had a wonderful time, to end the day I will prepare a salad from the vegetables I picked today fresh from the garden. I hope I have inspired you to be brave and create a garden that makes you happy! Bon apetite!

Ciao Mardel

Birds, Butterflies & Bees

Sat, 22 Apr 2017 15:10:00 GMT

I had never thought of landscape architecture as creating habitats for birds, butterflies and bees. I always thought of it as creating a space that enhances the architecture of a specific building, echoing the style intended; while creating spaces for gathering, play, gardening and tying all these elements together. But, the last two to three years, I have noticed a movement. People want to have gardens that attract pollinators!

Last weekend at our nursery we were fortunate to have two guest speakers Chris Liles and Teresa See, both are certified master-gardeners and authorities on attracting pollinators. Chris Liles grew up in Alaska, then moved to Oregon, and for the last twenty years has called Houston home. It is here that she decided to enroll in the Master Gardening program so that she could learn about gardening in this area. Teresa See is a native Houstonian, she was introduced to the Master Gardening program during a Christmas tour with her garden club where she had met a master gardener who encouraged her to learn more. The program is an intense ten-week course, which includes 60 hours of volunteering in the first year. Here they are taught not only about plants and trees but also about soil, identifying insects – disease etc.

Chris Liles (left) & Teresa See (right)

To learn more about the Harris County Master Gardening program follow this link https://hcmga.tamu.edu/public/About.aspx

Butterflies are cold blooded insects; provide them a sunny location in your garden. Create a butterfly habitat in an area that is sheltered from wind, is sunny, but can also provide a little shade—an ornamental tree or Ornamental grass would be ideal. Make sure your soil is damp, as this is how butterflies drink – they suck water from moist ground. Butterflies like pink, purple, red, yellow and orange. These are some plants that attract butterflies :

American Milkweed -Asclepias is a lavai food source for the Monarch butterfly.
This plant is also an important nectar source for native bees, wasps and other nectar seeking insects

Bees are an important insect for our gardens, and for our way of life. They sustain our ecosystems by helping plants re-produce. Bees and other pollinators are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food we eat. Honey bees can see colors that we cannot, they see way up in the ultraviolet end of the spectrum. Flowers that appear white to us are spectacularly patterned to them. However, they cannot see colors in the red/orange spectrum too well. Red flowers appear dark and boring to them. Thus, their favorite colors to feed on tend to be yellow, blue, purple and white. Here are a few of their favorite flowers.

To attract birds , your habitat needs to include, food, water and shelter — for the birds that live in Houston year round, the ones that are migrating through Houston, and those that winter here. Water is very important to them– add a bird-bath or a shallow dish with clean water in an open area in your garden. I notice in my garden, birds love my fountain; they drink and bathe in it, then rest on a nearby tree. Birds will learn to depend on this source for water, so clean and add water regularly. Birds prefer a diversity of shrubs and trees, so create a garden with an array of trees, shrubs and perennials to attract them. Birds love Oak trees, Pecan trees, River Birch trees and Magnolia trees. They are attracted to most bright colors, but seem to love red the most. Here are a few of my favorite plants and trees to attract birds:

I hope I have inspired you to add some of these trees, shrubs or perennials to your garden so that we can create a habitat for these pollinators! Thank you Chris Liles & Teresa See for sharing your knowledge and passion with us and our customers last weekend! Please let me know if you have any questions or comments and visit our nursery Bay Area Design & Landscape garden center to learn more.

Ciao Mardel

My Top 10 Summer Annuals

Sat, 08 Apr 2017 19:15:00 GMT

We all know summers can be brutal here in Houston! I have often been asked how our gardens always look good all summer. That my friends, is because we carefully select the most heat resistant color available on the market.

To begin with, choose the area where you would like to add annuals, remove the mulch, till the soil and add new potting soil as needed. Add fertilizer, my go-to color fertilizer is Color Star plus fungicide. I apply a generous helping of this on the surface on my prepared bed. Now, we are ready to plant. Dig a hole twice as wide as the container your plant is sitting in, plants should be about ½” to 1” above soil grade, water in well, and install the mulch around it, be careful as to not smother the little roots in mulch.

SUN LOVING COLOR:

Scaevola – This is a wonderful ground cover – I use it as a border or cascading from the edges of pots. Available colors are white, pink, blue and purple it usually grows about 10-12” tall. It is important to water this plant well until established.

Blue Daze : Another heat loving annual which can be used along the border. Grows approximately 10-12” high– with delicate true blue flowers. Blue Daze is very drought tolerant – I like pairing it with Vinca another drought tolerant annual!

Cora Vinca : These are available in both up-right and cascading varieties. Use the upright as an intermediate planting about 12- 15” tall– use the cascading variety as your border or spilling out of pots. Vincas are very drought tolerant –do not use them in a location that tends to stay wet. Cora Vincas come in an array of colors, white, peach, strawberry, cherry, magenta, and lilac.

Penta Graffiti and Butterfly : Pentas are my go-to color. These cheerful Egyptian Star Cluster flowers bloom non-stop in the spring, summer and well into fall. Penta come in a variety of colors – white, lilac, purple, all shades of pink and red. Butterfly Pentas grow tall, approximately 20-30”– so use these as a back row planting. The Graffiti series grows approximately 12- 18” tall — these can be used either as a back row planting or a middle row. Butterflies love these plants – so include these in your butterfly garden.

Strap Leaf Caladium: I love using these plants in my borders—though they do not bloom I consider their foliage a lovely treat in our summer months. My favorite varieties include White Wing, Florida Sweetheart and Gingerland.

I hope these selections have inspired you, get your garden gloves out and let’s get started planting our Summer color!

Ciao Mardel

The post My Top 10 Summer Annuals appeared first on Boxwood & Blooms .

Crape Murder Continues

Fri, 24 Feb 2017 22:58:00 GMT

It’s that time of year when Crape Murder is committed! I am not sure how this horrible procedure began, but it is wide spread in the Houston area – and unfortunately most people believe that butchering Crape Myrtles is the correct way to prune. Please read and help us stop this trend!!

Topping Crape Myrtles is a bad idea, which most likely begun by an un-informed landscaper looking for something to do during the winter months. One person sees another and a revolution of bad-practice begins!

The topped Crape Myrtles develop knobs at the ends of the pruned branches when they are repeatedly butchered over the years. A witches-broom of thinner weaker branches grow out of these knotted ends. Some people think that topping these trees will actually produce more blooms. This is not true, in fact, a topped Crape Myrtle will bloom less – the blooms will be larger and heavier, and unfortunately the weaker twig-like branches now cannot support the flowers.

Crape Myrtles do not require yearly pruning but if you feel it is necessary to prune your tree follow these basic steps:

Remove suckers from the bottom of the plant.
Remove crossed, damaged or diseased branches.
For crossed branches – remove the weaker of the two rubbing each other.
Prune the tips of the branches to remove spent blooms. If old blooms are removed a second blooming may occur.
Thin out small twiggy growth to allow better air circulation through the canopy
Or, call our arborist so we can properly prune the tree for you.

If you have an already butchered Crape Myrtle you might want to follow one of these options:

Please help me spread the word and let’s stop butchering and committing Crape Murder!

Ciao Mardel

February to do List

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 17:19:00 GMT

February is one of my favorite months, not only because it is my husbands’ and my youngest son’s birthday month, but because for those of us who live in the Houston area, it means Spring is in the air and almost here!

Now, is the time to start planning our garden, so it’s ready to enjoy in our lovely Spring!

LAWNS: This is the time to apply a preemergent herbicide to stop Spring weeds such as crabgrass, goosegrass and dallisgrass before they begin. Come by our nursery and pick up Barricade (non-organic) or corn gluten meal if you prefer an organic approach.

PLANTING: Time to plant Strawberries! Plant them in Strawberry Jars or hanging baskets to avoid fungus and insects from attacking the fruit. Tomatoes can be started in pots which can be sheltered indoors should we have a freeze. Lettuce and Arugula can also be planted as they love the cooler weather and will perform well into the beginning of summer. Plant Bluebonnets for an early display of Texas blooms!

Photo: Via Public Domain

PESTS: Aphids and Loopers can be a problem for cool season vegetables and annuals, use the most organic solution possible for treating these insects. Stop by our nursery and we will help you select the best treatments. Also, check your plants for scale insects on ornamentals such as Camellias, Gardenias, Hollies, Japanese Blueberries and Magnolias, these can be treated with horticultural oil while the weather is still cool.

PRUNING: Mid-February is the time to prune your Roses – prune them to promote a better shape, removing crossing branches, and any dead branches. Roses can also be pruned all the way down to 6-8” if they are getting too large for their space. All other trees and shrubs should be pruned at this time of the year – except for ones that are Spring Blooming – such as Spiraea, Azalea, Flowering Pears, Red Buds – these should be pruned after they finish flowering. As discussed above, wait to prune any tropical plants. This is the time to think about pruning your Italian Cypress, as many of my clients know, I always discuss the importance of trimming these trees 3-4 feet every couple of years – to promote a stronger tree.

TREES: If you are considering adding a shade or ornamental tree, this is the perfect time to plant it! Come by our nursery and we can help you select the perfect tree to fit your needs! Planting trees early will help them adapt to their new home easily and gives trees more time to adjust to their new owners before the brutal hot summer sets in.

FREEZES: During this month, we need to still be cautious of another possible frost, so keep your eye on the weather and stay informed on night-time lows. Keep your frost cloths easily available, and when temperature drops below 32 degrees double wrap tender plants to ensure proper insulation. Do not use plastic against foliage as this can easily burn the plant – use plastic as the second exterior layer only, making sure it is removed during the day. Use clothespins and bricks or stone to secure the ends and make sure no cold air is coming in through the bottom of wrapping.

Most of all, be inspired! The best time to dream and implement a Serene Escape in your garden is now!

An idyllic spot in one of my clients gardens.

Ciao Mardel

Valentine’s Day for the Garden Enthusiast

Sat, 04 Feb 2017 08:00:00 GMT

February 14 ^th , is just around the corner! Whether you are looking for that special gift for your spouse of 30 years, newly engaged or in a brand-new relationship, Valentine’s Day is the day we show our significant other that they are special to us! A bouquet of flowers or an edible arrangement are the normal “go-to” choices and unfortunately these expected gifts leave us somewhat disappointed. Really should we get a bouquet of flowers year after year? How boring!!

On a quest to spice up this Valentine’s Day, our team at Bay Area design & Landscape has come up with several gift ideas to let your special someone know how much you really care. Stop by our nursery and let our staff help create something unique for you this year. Some ideas include:

Ivy Topiary Hearts potted in lovely terracotta planters.

An array of succulents, easy to care for in our shell planter.

Provencal wooden trough filled with Gerbera Daisy.

Garden Gloves and tools in a keep sake planter.

Glazed Urns with Topiary Ivy spheres.

Mini Roses planted in beautiful planters.

Organic Olive Oil from the Island of Malta –limited supplies!

Other gift ideas include:

Urns/planters or Fountains —what a great opportunity to surprise your loved one with an urn she might have had her eyes on for quite a while! We can have that urn planted for you, or give you suggestions of what to plant. Fountains always rank high among women’s wish list – do you have a spot for one?

Outdoor furniture and Accessories – such as benches, tables, console tables. We all have a need for one of these.

Fire Pits- Don’t most men like to play with fire? What a great way to surprise your special someone with our wonderful ready-made fire pits!

Another great idea is a group project, something that you can do together with your partner and to enjoy for many years to come:

Plant a tree together – your Love tree! This gift will last for many years, and will bring you memories of the day you shared planting the tree together. Or – what about planting a couple of fruit trees. Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Satsuma all do exceptionally well In our area.

Build a garden together – we can easily grow an array of vegetables and herbs – and how nice will it be to have your own parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary and not have to run to the store to buy a packet to waste half of it!

I find that some of my fondest and most treasured memories are the ones when together my husband and I played in the garden!

If you have any questions about gift ideas for the garden please comment below – or stop by our Nursery!

Ciao Mardel

Container Gardens

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:44:00 GMT

I have been told by many of my clients and friends, that they can always tell the gardens and outdoor living spaces I have designed. Perhaps what gives them away is the fact that I like to incorporate at least a couple of beautiful appropriate urns. In the garden, I feel they create a focal point to an area which I would like to give importance, while on a patio I like to use urns to incorporate planting and add softness to the space.

When selecting a planter, or a pair of urns – I like to think of the architecture of the house—so start by identifying what style your home is, and choose the appropriate styled pots. Then select the location you would like to add an urn. Perhaps you want to flank your front door with a couple of urns. Or, you could use one urn in front of a beautiful window – to not only give this window importance from the front yard, but also create a lovely vignette for you to enjoy from the inside. I always select pots that are appropriately scaled—if you are adding pots to a two story house you want these urns to be at minimum 28” – 33” tall. In front of a window – you need an overall height of 36” – 48” depending on the height of your window. Height can also be added by the plants you choose to install in these urns. Large urns allow you the option to fill them with beautiful color instead of just one plant and they also retain more water – making them easier maintenance for us in the summer. If you are looking to add interest to your patio – perhaps you want to choose a cluster of pots, different sizes work best when using pots in a cluster. Or, for a contemporary feel perhaps you want to flank the patio with four pots, one at each corner. The places we can use planters are endless and these beautiful urns will always add interest to your space.

Fall and winter is my favorite time for planting and adding color to urns. Here in Houston we are lucky to be able to enjoy our outdoor space all through these months and our winter color is stunning! Fillers, Thrillers and Spillers, is a rule we often follow when it comes to container gardening. Here are some of my favorites which can be used in the winter here.

Alyssum – I am particularly fond of White Alyssum – this has a lovely scent, spills beautifully out of the edges of pots so can be used as a spiller, however it can also be used as a mounding plant if a filler is needed.

Pansy and Violas – These come in an array of color – I like to use them as fillers.

Petunia —The Wave varieties of Petunias, and the Supertunias are great for cascading out of pots – spillers. The carpet and mambo series can be used as fillers.

Dianthus Amazon & Jolt – I am not a big fan of the regular short Dianthus, however I love the Amazon and Jolt series of Dianthus. These bear a cluster flower atop a fairly long stem and are prolific bloomers. Try Dianthus Jolt Pink, or Amazon Neon Purple or Rose Magic as a filler

Cabbage and Kale —These ornamentals can be very effective when used in planters.

Lobelia – Electric blue flowers are stunning for our Fall/Winter planters – I use this both as a spillers and fillers.

Snap Dragon Sonnet or Solstice Series —These again come in an array of color and bloom endlessly well into Spring. Use this as a Thriller.

Stock Katz – If you are looking for scent, this plant is a must. I love the gray foliage and pastel blooms — a fabulous thriller.

Delphinium – This plant should be planted any time after late December here in Houston – it will bloom in early spring with wonderfully bright purples, blues and white flowers. Use a thriller.

Erysimum – This plant is sadly underused in Houston, I love it as it provides cheerful orange or yellow blooms that are scented. Use this plant as a filler.

Phlox – Phlox comes in a variety of colors and blooms well in Fall and Winter months. Use this as a filler.

So remember when designing your planters and urns this season follow the rule : use thrillers, fillers and spillers.

Send me a picture of your favorite winter urn to enter into our Container Gardening contest! I will be accepting entries from Tuesday , December 6th- Tuesday, December 13th . The winner will have their picture featured on my next blog and receive a $25 gift card to our garden center. Please send your photos to mardel@bayareadesign.net Here are some of my favorite urns used in my designs.

I would love to see what you come up with!

Ciao Mardel

The post Container Gardens appeared first on Boxwood & Blooms .

September To Do List

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 14:29:00 GMT

Prepare the Garden for Fall Planting: As you know our Clear Lake area soil is mostly clay and gumbo which creates a terrible drainage problem and a PH that is too high for planting. To compensate for this lack of drainage, we raise our beds with wonderful potting soil filled with organic compost; however these beds quickly become compacted and void of nutrients. We recommend adding an organic compost such as Soil Mender -Garden Soil Builder and mixing this in with your potting soil, working it in gently with a fork or cultivator paying attention to your existing plants and their roots. Please use your judgement on how much organic compost and mulch to put around your existing plants. Put enough material to cover bare roots and be careful not to suffocate the plant by building the soil or mulch too high. Soil Mender Garden Soil Builder is a rich blend of aged humus mixed with essential supplements to form a complete soil builder. Adding organic matter helps loosen the soil and improves drainage as it aerates the soil and stimulates microbial activity. I recommend adding an application of this every six months.

Lawn: If you have some areas that are bald or the grass is not filling in quite well – try spreading half an inch of Soil Mender Turf Soil Builder
(enough to allow the top of your grass blades to show through) – many of our garden center clients have been thrilled with this product. Always follow the instructions on package. With all the rain we have had you might also have fungus problems on your lawn, apply a fungicide to control the problem we love to use F-stop, again always follow instructions labeled on package carefully.

Organic Fertilizer: At this time of the year, I like to apply an organic fertilizer – such as Hasta Grow (1 gallon) and Superthrive (1/4 teaspoon). I use it on all my roses, perennials and shrubs to help them regain their strength after the hot summer and give them a little boost. I just mix the product according to manufacturer’s instructions and lightly add this mixture to the soil. Another organic fertilizer I love is Holganix, a probiotic-filled tea-based product that contains many naturally occurring living microorganisms that work to restore balance to your soil.

Mulch: Do not forget to add a layer of Mulch after the new organic compost and fertilization is complete; again being careful to not add too much atop the root-balls of your established plants. Please use natural mulch. I am afraid of the new “dyed” mulches – apart from not liking the way they look, I worry about what this chemically dyed mulch is doing to our plants. Mulch is meant to disappear and become organic matter to further help or soil. Mulch keeps plant roots cooler, keeps weed seeds at bay and conserves water. Just make sure you do not apply more than 1″- 2″ of mulch around the base of any established trees and be careful not to apply too much mulch along the foundation of your home.

Pests: At this time of the year leaf minors are active on citrus – you can alternate treatments of Spinosad and Neem Oil to keep them at bay. Hose off insects such as aphids and mealybugs or spray them with insecticidal soap. If you have any other insect/disease questions our garden center staff is always ready to help.

Hummingbirds: These little beauties will start to migrate in September – get your feeders ready. Keep them clean and in a shady area to encourage visitors. Natural nectar sources for hummingbirds include Hamelia, Firespike, Shrimp Planta, Cuphea, Lantana and Turks cap.

Photo Credit: yourhomewizards.com

Vegetable and Herb Gardens: Clean your garden and remove any herbs and vegetables that are done for the season – such as Parsley. After mixing 2-3 inches of new organic compost with your soil, plant your tomatoes and peppers as this is the best time to get them in the ground. Cool season veggies such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and kale can be planted any time from now to January.

Planters and Urns: I cannot write a blog without mentioning my favorite things. All of you who know me, know that most of the gardens I design include at least one or two urns. I am itching to get my urns all ready for fall – but I must wait —we need the temperatures to cool down just a little bit more. My next blog will be dedicated solely to getting your planters in the Fall mood. Join me next time and let’s get ready for some beautiful Houston weather and Fall-inspired planters. if you have any questions about gardening and design please come see us at the nursery, we are always happy to help! Happy Gardening.

Ciao Mardel

Mdina—my old stomping ground

Thu, 25 Aug 2016 21:02:00 GMT

My trip to Malta would not be complete without a visit to Mdina. This place holds a dear and special place in my heart. Not only because of the city’s beauty, but because it is where I went to school –elementary, middle school, and high school! So most of my teenage years and early youth was spent within the confines of these walls. Many memories of my childhood reawaken as I walk these beautiful narrow streets. All of which lead to the magnificent square and Cathedral of Malta.

Mdina is the old capital of Malta. It is located atop a high hill in the center of the island. Mdina, also known as Citta Nobile, was first inhabited around 700BC by the Phoenicians. The Normans surrounded the city with its thick defensive fortifications called bastions. This city is one of Europe’s finest examples of a walled city and its mix of medieval and baroque architecture makes it quite an enchanting place. Mdina remained Malta’s capital city until the arrival of the Knights of St. John in 1530.

Mdina is also known as the Silent City – no cars are allowed except for the cars of the 250 or so residents; the beautiful narrow streets are void of noice and chaos making this a relaxing environment to walk in. I love exploring these streets, they are filled with character and surprises—especially earlier during the morning before the tourists arrive!

Most of Malta’s noble families made Mdina their home during the 12 ^th century. Many remain living in this walled city even today.

This is Palazzo DePiro, my old school (intermediate and highschool). This 17 ^th century palazzo built by Girolamo and his son Vittorioso Cassar is nestled within the bastion walls. Originally built in 1869 for Alexander De Piro D’Amico Inguanez and his wife shortly after they were married. The palazzo was orignally three separate residences, the oldest being from the latter part of the 16 ^th century. It was quite marvellous growing up and coming to school in the palazzo, surrounded by history, and overlooking the bastion walls. It is now a restaurant & coffee shop, houses pieces of art and also can be rented out for special venues.

The red door pictured in the center photo above, was the main entrance to my school. A great entrance hall welcomed us promptly by 8am. Directly in front of the main doors you could sneak a peak at the garden and long for lunch break so we can play – this is now the outdoor café. To the left of the entrance hall pictured on the bottom left was one of my classrooms Form 2 – American equivalent of 7 ^th grade!

This is the main gate entrance to the city, it was designed by Charles Francoise de Mondion in 1724.

The back gate to the city is know as Greek Gate, because this back area of Mdina used to house a Greek community.

St. Paul’s cathedral was designed by Lorenzo Gafa, predominantly Baroque in style with some Maltese architecture. It is Malta’s national cathedral. It’s impressive façade welcomes visitors as they emerge from the narrow streets of the city onto a wonderful large piazza with an imposing Cathedral.

The interior is lavishly decorated with works from esteemed artists such as Knight Mattia Preti. The inlaid marble floors are tombstones lovingly decorated with coat of arms and Latin inscriptions for the bishops of Mdina and other members of the cathedral chapter.

My last stop is to our high school hang out, a coffee shop and bistro called Fontanella. It is situated directly next to my old school, some of us girls used to jump over the short balustrades and sneak in for a cappuccino and a little break from class. It’s time to take a rest and ponder about what we saw today and the memories coming back into this city have evoked.

I hope you enjoyed my visit down memory lane, please join me next time!

Ciao Mardel

Malta’s Capital City Valletta

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 12:15:00 GMT

Valletta, a UNESCO world heritage site, is nothing short of an open air museum. This capital city is the brainchild of Grandmaster Jean de la Valette, who wanted a fortified city to protect the island from Turkish invasion. The architect Francesco Laparelli, who was Michelangelo’s assistant, was sent to Malta by the Pope to design this fortified city atop Mount Sciberras– a barren peninsula between two natural harbors. Fort St. Elmo and Fort Ricasoli protect the entrance to the harbor with bastion walls. Fort St. Angelo and the bastion walls of Birgu and Senglea shield its flanks.

Valletta is one the first cities in Europe to be developed entirely by plan and on a rectangular parallel grid, allowing the sea breezes to cool the summer heat.

Towards the end of 1568, a Maltese architect Girolamo Cassar took charge of designing and building many of the buildings in the city.

The beautiful baroque style St. John co-cathedral designed by Girolamo Cassar 1573-1578. This cathedral also has one of the largest Caravaggio paintings in the world.

The Auberge de Castille was designed by Girolamo Cassar in 1570,due to lack of funding it was not completed until 1745 under Grandmaster Pinto. It now houses the offices of the Maltese Prime Minster.

This is the fifth entrance of Valletta since 1566 designed by the internationally recognized Italian architect Renzo Piano who also designed the Whitney Museum in New York City.

Typical streets in Valletta, houses adorned with wooden balconies called “gallarija”. Yellow limestone gleaming in the summer sun.

Sacra Infermeria is now the Mediterranean conference center. Built by the Knights of Malta in 1574, this was one of the first hospitals in Europe. This building was also designed by Girolamo Cassar.

Valletta is full of history, art and culture. This is just a small sample of what you can see in this city, no wonder it has been designated as the European Capital of Culture 2018!

Ciao Mardel

A Sunday Garden Stroll

Sun, 24 Jul 2016 22:24:00 GMT

In Malta, almost everything is closed on Sunday. So in summer you have limited options—either beach, pool, family gatherings, hikes, or a visit to a garden. Of course I choose gardens every time! So I set out to visit three of Valletta’s gardens.

The most famous garden in the city of Valletta is the Upper Barrakka Garden . This garden offers space and shade in the heart of the city. Perched upon the highest point in Valletta atop the Bastions of St. Peter & Paul it boasts spectacular views of the Grand Harbor and the three cities of Senglea, Vittoriosa and Kalkara.

The landscaped grounds were designed specifically for the enjoyment of Italian Knights. The garden opened to the public following the end of the French occupation in Malta in the 1800’s. The Italian Knight Fra Framinio Balbiani built the garden terraced arches in 1661, they originally had a roof which was removed in 1775 following the Rise of the Priests.

The garden is geometrically divided into planted sections with stone pathways providing access to the views, saluting battery, and shady park benches. Planted in the garden are many beautiful old Olive trees, Palms, Eucalyptus trees, Sagos, Boxwood, Bird of Paradise, Geranium, Pittosporum, Petunias, Amaranthus, lots of Plumbago, Agapanthus and Verbena. Yes –Petunias and Geranium grow all summer long here!!!

I particularly love the curved stone balustrades and curved stairway leading to the saluting Battery area.

For almost 500 years the guns protected the harbor. From the 1820’s a single shot would be fired exactly at midday so that Ship Masters could calibrate their chronographs on board. This is one of the oldest saluting batteries in the world still used today. A single shot continues to be fired at midday in the same traditional way to herald the passage. They are also used to add a festive mood, marking special historical occasions and events. From the view, to the beautifully landscaped gardens and the magnificent history, this garden remains one of my favorites in the city.

The next garden we visited was the Lower Barrakka Gardens . Situated on the lower end of Valletta this garden is strategically located to have an optimum view of the mouth of the Grand Harbor. Set within the residential area of St. Christopher’s Bastions this garden offers a more peaceful respite, as it is not as crowded and popular as the Upper Barrakka Gardens. This small gardens offers magnificent views not only of the Grand Harbor, but of Fort Ricasoli, Bighi Palace, Fort St. Angelo,Birgu and Kalkara not to mention the stunning views of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.

Organized parterre gardens are contained with clipped Boxwood containing a combination of Mediterranean plants, such as Date Palms, Oleander trees, Sago and an assortment of flowers. Sweet curved benches are nestled beneath old Olive trees.

The third garden I visited today was Hastings Garden , located on the West side of Valletta’s city gate and atop the bastions of John’s and St. Michael. This garden was built in honor of Lord Francis Marquis of Hastings, the second governor or Malta. The Marquis of Hastings was appointed governor of Malta in 1824, but was killed at sea in 1827. His body lays to rest in this garden. The only known architect of this neo-classical garden is Adriano De Vino. Hastings Garden boasts magnificent views of Marsamxett harbor and the yacht marinas of Manoel Island and Msida.

I cannot think of a better way to spend my Sunday!!! I am saddened by the thought that soon I will have to leave this gorgeous island and most wonderful weather, better cheer myself up with some fabulous gelato…..

This wonderful gelateria can be found in the heart of the main road Republic street. It offers a large selection of healthy natural and organic gelato. Some flavors are even vegan! Choose the cone or cup size, then fill with your favorite combination of gelato and enjoy!

A perfect ending to a perfect day visiting the gardens of Valletta! Let me know if any of these gardens have inspired you!

Ciao Mardel

A Mediterranean Wedding

Tue, 19 Jul 2016 12:00:00 GMT

Part of the reason for my trip to Malta this year is because my youngest niece, Jade, is getting married. She lives in Australia and wanted a small wedding with her closest relatives. The only problem is that her closest family are scattered around the world, from Australia to Canada, the United States, Sweden, Italy, France, England and Malta. Jade took the opportunity to make Malta her wedding destination and bring all the family together for a joyous occasion!

This magical day started with hair and makeup by the talented ladies of Alfie’s Hair Salon.

The bride is escorted to the ceremony in a vintage car.

The nuptials took place at St.Paul’s the Shipwreck church in our capital city Valletta. This church is one of the oldest churches in the city built in the 1570’s.

Organ & wood statue of St. Paul

Especially dear to the Maltese nation, St. Paul is considered to be the spiritual father of the islands. His ship wrecked here in 60 AD and he brought Christianity to the Maltese. Amongst the treasures of this church are the organ and dome designed by Lorenzo Gafa, paintings by Attilo Palombi and Giuseppe Cali, a wooden statue of St. Paul by Melchior Gafa 1965 and the magnificent alter piece by Matteo Perez D’Aleccio. This church also has precious relics; a piece of the right wrist bone of St. Paul and a piece of the column that used to behead St. Paul in Rome.

The bride and groom make their marriage vows to each other in front of their closest family and friends.

Happy guests, confetti and the release of white doves welcome the bride and groom at the end of the ceremony.

The bride and groom along with the wedding party were once more whisked away in the vintage cars to the reception venue .

The wedding reception took place at Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar. This palace is described as a “mini-Versailles”. It was originally built as a hunting lodge in 1733 by the grandmaster Antonio Manoel de Vilhena. After his death the order of the Knights of St. John took it over and it eventually was passed on to the Parisio family. During the French occupation of Malta, the palace was used as barracks. The Marquis Giuseppe Scicluna aquired it in 1898 and he commissioned a team of Italian architects and painters led by Carlo Sada and Annibale Lupi to embellish the palace with Baroque and Pompeiian art.

Drinks and hors d’oeveres where served upstairs in the ball room

This beautiful renaissance style garden was set up for the dinner venue.

Lovely silver candelabras, gold place settings and fresh flowers enhanced the beautiful tables. Bougainvillea was in full bloom climbing up against the soft hue of the Mediterranean limestone.

The newly-weds sat beneath a canopy adorned with fresh flowers as they ate dinner, and listened to the speeches given by my brother ( father of the bride ) – who not only gave a touching speech in English, but also wrote a poem in Maltese for his beautiful daughter ( those of us that spoke Maltese all needed a tissue by the end of that poem ). Best man and uncle of the groom made lovely toasts in their Aussie accents and had all of us laughing.

The hours quickly passed as I caught up with family members whom I had not seen in many years. Dancing, laughter and merriment coupled with best wishes for the bride and groom created a wonderful atmosphere of joy and love

After the cutting of the cake, we were treated to a dazzling display of fireworks. The reception continued well into the early morning hours of the following day.

What a beautiful ceremony and what a great way to bring the family together. I could not help but think about my parents and how proud they would have been to see their family all together, despite the fact that we all live in different continents and countries around the world!

To Jade and Jake, a final thank you for allowing us all to share in your happy event. I wish you the best of luck for a happy future together filled with love and laughter. Cheers!

Ciao Mardel

July To-Do List

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 02:30:00 GMT

The scorching hot days of summer are here again. Does it seem to get hotter and more humid each year, or do I just get amnesia from one summer to the next? Can you imagine if you were a plant or a tree – being outdoors 24/7? I almost feel sorry for them at this time of year. Here are some things to keep in mind for the month of July.

Photo Courtesy of LeAnne Torrans Texas Gardening

Water deeply especially those beautiful trees. Do not just rely on your irrigation system. I usually like to put a water hose on trees to drip slowly for several hours.

Please check your plants as some might need a little more water than what the sprinkler system offers. Routinely walk around your garden in the evening or early morning and see if there is any plant that requires a little bit more of hand watering.

Check the sprinkler system : As plants grow, some heads might get covered with foliage, others might be broken or leaking. I usually like to do this once a month, but most especially in the heat of the summer. Run each zone and walk around inspecting the heads to make sure they are covering the areas they were intended to cover. One broken head can cause a lot of dry spots!

Mulch is important to have in the summer, make sure to keep a 2” layer of mulch so that the beds can retain more moisture.

Vegetable gardens : At this time I start preparing my garden for fall vegetables and herbs such as tomato, peppers, cucumbers, squash, basil, oregano, and thyme. Pull weeds, discard any old leaves and add compost or fresh potting soil as needed. Seeds of corn, cucumber, black-eyed peas, cantaloupe and pumpkins can be planted at this time. I always enjoy adding a little splash of seasonal color in my kitchen garden; you should try adding a little color in yours!

Clean up : Eliminate any standing water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Clean out bird-baths and fountains and add fresh water.

Fertilize & dead head : I love to prune and dead head my Perennials and annuals around the middle of the month. I add an application of Holganix bloom or Color Star Fertilizer or both so they can quickly flush back out and start blooming. If my annuals are full of blooms I usually cannot bring myself to pruning the entire plant, so I do it in stages. I prune half a plant one week and the other half the next so that I do not lose all the blooms at once. Trimming and fertilizing will reward you with a longer bloom season.

Pots: I usually spruce up my pots in July by removing some of the spring blooming annuals and replacing them with heat loving summer annuals such as; Purslane, Portulaca, Angelonia, Penta, Lantana & Vinca.

Remember to apply sunblock, wear a hat and stay hydrated while gardening in this heat. Tell me what steps you take to prepare for the summer, I would love to hear from you!

Ciao Mardel

Olive Oil and the Mediterranean

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 14:29:00 GMT

A visit to the Mediterranean must include excellent Olive Oil. Today, my family and I set out to visit the gracious Sammy Cremona on his lovely estate “ Wardija Olive Oil.

Cultivation of Olives began in Malta during the 9 ^th century BC. It was introduced to the islands by the Phoenicians, but almost 1,000 years later, invading Arabs burned down most of the olive groves and replaced them with citrus trees.

On the Wardija Olive Oil Estate, Sammy has turned his life-long hobby into a passionate endeavor, bringing the indigenous Maltese Olive back! He is re-cultivating the Bidni Olive, a carbon-dated 1,800 year-old species, and the white olive called Perla Maltese that was made popular by the Knights of Malta. This white Olive was near extinction with only three remaining trees worldwide.

Sammy grows these Olive trees organically, free of any pesticides and harmful chemicals. Plastic bottles are hung from each tree filled with a fish paste emulsion to ward off insects. On the lower tree trunks he has a Dacron synthetic wool wrapping to prevent weevils. It gives me such peace of mind eating this olive oil knowing that it not only tastes delicious but it is also chemical free!

As we walk around the Olive Groves, his chocolate lab Cioccolino wags his tail and merrily leads our entourage along. Sammy patiently explains to us all about the Olive trees, how he waters and prunes and harvests the olives. We eventually come upon peacocks, chickens and his prized possession… a donkey named Rosie; she lovingly nudges up against him as soon as she sees him. Every animal on the farm serves a purpose for the ecological balance of the Olive trees. From their excrement to their hunger for pests, the animals are not only his pets but also his gardening crew!

At the end of our tour of this beautiful estate, we were invited to a tasting of the Olive Oil. Sammy breaks out some fresh Maltese Bread, Kunserva – a maltese tomato paste, anchovies, fresh herbs including basil, marjoram, wild fennel seeds and rosemary. He also sets out Olives preserved in a Brine, which consisted of a ratio of 1 to 10 sea-salt and water, bay leaves, myrtle leaves and the star of the day Wardija Olive Oil. Which he of course presses here on the estate. He opens up a bottle of “light” wine – Marsovin made with the griganti grapes. For me, this simple lunch is the best I could ever wish for.

I am always excited to meet people who are passionate about their work. Especially those that transform their hobby into their work! Sammy is one of these people. His love for Malta, the Olive trees, and the tradition of keeping our endemic Olives fruitful and abundant is clearly evident. His attention to detail is impeccable, even the box of the Wardija Olive Oil contains the two colors found in the Olive leaf.

I am taking 20 bottles of his olive oil back to the US, please contact me if you would like to try some! I can’t wait to share its magic with you all. A special thank you to my dear friend Suzanne Vassallo, who introduced me to Sammy Cremona and the Wardija Olive Oil.

Ciao Mardel

Wondering About Gardens

Tue, 21 Jun 2016 17:33:00 GMT

I woke up this morning and as I glanced out of my kitchen window this wonderful surprise was blooming! It immediately brought a smile to my face, and filled me with joy. What a pleasant welcoming of a brand new Day!

I immediately start to wonder why this one little Dutch Iris brings me so much happiness! I have worked as a landscape designer every day for over twenty plus years and I am still thrilled to see a garden taking shape. Gardens represent paradise to me.

Humans have had a relationship with gardens since the beginning of time. It all began with the Garden of Eden, an age-old fundamental longing that compared paradise to a garden, a place where humans lived in perfect peace and ultimate bliss. This was the first “model” garden. It exemplified an ideal space where humans could attain true happiness.

Perhaps the garden represents an attempt to recover a lost paradise on earth or to anticipate the promised kingdom of heaven. To achieve this goal we need to give order to nature in an artful way.

“Here it is neither uneven and stony like farmland, nor rough and dangerous like a wilderness. Gardens unite artificial and natural beauty, embracing all the elements-water, light, air, plants and making them elements of art. Every effort devoted to garden design becomes a mirror of the longing for happiness in harmony with nature.” (Carl Friedrick Schroer).

Regardless of how large or small your garden is, think about what brings you serenity and joy and incorporate these elements in your garden design. I would love to see what your ideal garden looks like, please share photos and comments.

Ciao Mardel

Gardeners To Do List for June

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 14:31:00 GMT

Summer has arrived! Here is a to do list for the month of June that will help enjoy spending time in your garden entertaining guests or finding inner peace.

URNS & POTS : Planters and urns add a lot of color to the patio, deck or pool side. Make sure to choose larger containers to avoid frequent watering. Refresh existing planters with summer blooming annuals.

VEGETABLE GARDENS : Enjoy your tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, basil etc. You can still plant squash, eggplants and pumpkins. Watch out for those summer pests such as leaf-footed bugs and worms on tomatoes. Provide a birdbath full of water for birds, so they do not peck your fruit and vegetables for moisture

LAWN: Raise lawn mower blades to cut 3″ high so your grass can retain moisture and prevent diseases and pests.

WEEDING: This is an on going chore! I recommend keeping up with the weeds in the early morning hours. Keep a thick layer of mulch in your beds to reduce the amount of spouting weeds.

PRUNING: Coleus should be pinched to avoid flowering. This will produce a thicker bushier compact habit. Remove spent blooms on spring/summer annuals such as Salvia, Angelonia and Penta. Dead head young Vitex trees to encourage repeat blooms and dead head your roses. Remove any foliage that looks like it is dying or diseased.

FERTILIZING: Use a slow release organic fertilizer such as Holganix Bloom on vegetable gardens, landscape and containers. Color Star fertilizer can be used on seasonal color and perennials.

WATERING: As always, I suggest slow deep root watering especially on trees. Try to avoid frequent short watering.

PESTS: Stay alert for pests as well as beneficial insects. Pests are very active this time of year. Snails in particular are extremely active will all the rain, they are best picked early in the morning when they are most active.

OUTDOOR FURNITURE : Add new throw pillows to your outdoor furniture to brighten up and revive. Don’t forget to spray a water repellant on your outdoor cushions. An outdoor rug unifies the space and adds a little splash of color!

Ciao Mardel

A Garden in Provence

Thu, 02 Jun 2016 21:30:00 GMT

I discovered this quintessential Provencal garden at a winery called Château Val Joanis located south of the Luberon Regional Natural Park in Provence.

The garden was designed in 1978 modeled after a seventeenth century garden. It is comprised of three terraces sheltered from the mistral winds. Italian Cypress, Lavender and clipped Boxwood Borders invite you to wonder onto the next terrace.

The vegetable garden is modeled on a classical ancient potager, ensuring self-sufficiency in vegetables and fruits. It co-exists harmoniously with a large collection of perennials, roses and other Mediterranean species.

I love the precision and symmetry of these gardens. Boxwoods, Italian Cypress and Conical Yews keep a consistent theme. Lavender, Roses, Vitex and other perennials give the garden texture and flowers throughout the year.

Originally this was a site of a Roman Villa, now a winery and pool around a square courtyard. What a wonderful venue for a wedding!

The Olive Grove is a traditional Mediterranean staple, when coupled with conical shrubs we are reminded that we are in Provence!

Olive Grove

Since 2005, the gardens have been ranked as “Outstanding Gardens” by the French Ministry of Culture and were awarded “Garden of the Year” in 2008 by the French Association of Horticulture and Garden journalists.

I cannot wait to visit this garden and the Provence region again this summer. I find inspiration and inner peace amongst the lavender filled air and the Mediterranean breeze.

Ciao Mardel

Front Yard Landscapes

Mon, 23 May 2016 15:32:00 GMT

Design & Installation by Bay Area Design & Landscape www.bayareadesignandlandscape.com

Ciao Mardel